About a week ago I wrote about my resolve to abstain from alcohol for one month and to change my attitude about alcohol altogether. Here's an update:
It's been two weeks since I made my commitment and I have remained resilient. I've participated in all the usual activities, including Saturday night at the bar and successfully relaxing after a stressful work night, simply without the traditional beer or glass of wine.
However, during these two weeks I have almost convinced myself several times that it would be OK to indulge just this once, just one drink, special circumstance, lost opportunity, blah blah blah. We all have the devil on our shoulders, telling us that its OK to eat that brownie, we don't need to go to the gym today, we really NEED that extra hour of sleep, or that alcohol will solve our problem.
The red horns and pitchfork showed up last night when I went out to sing karaoke, a favored past time of mine, that generally involves a least a few drinks. On the way there I got lost twice, adding a half an hour to my commute and boiling anger to my chest. I thought to myself "I'll just have one cocktail to calm me down; I'm not going to enjoy this night feeling like this and one drink will help; it's not so bad to have one drink in a month..." And then - I shut the devil up. I listened to a good song specifically to coax my attitude off of the anger ledge, and forced myself to take a deep breath. By the time I reached the bar I had experienced the calm that I would have attributed to having a drink, and I ordered a cranberry and club with a lime. Refreshing, alcohol free, and only cost me a $2 tip!
Another excuse I almost convinced myself was reason enough to break my sober month was the free wine I could have enjoyed on a special night at work. Five or six different wines that I have never experienced before were there for the taking, permission to drink during work was given, and I was pissed that this opportunity presented itself on the week I had decided to abstain. However, when I think about it, those opportunities present themselves about once a week - when I think "I'll have never this opportunity again; this time is special; I'll be missing out." Really? I experienced nothing less by not drinking wine on that night, and I will not look back when I'm 50 and think "Gee golly I wish I had had that glass of wine." So I resisted and have a longer lasting memory because I chose NOT to participate than I would have had giving in.
I don't necessarily think that everyone should give up alcohol, but I'm pretty sure that everyone has that one substance or activity that haunts them, tempting them to go further than they wish, creating that voice that urges them to change their mind and indulge 'just this once.' I know that voice well, and it takes constant commitment and strength to turn a deaf ear. But I can also say that doing so has given me a sense of pride that I haven't experienced in any of my endeavours so far. This simple choice, and sticking to it, has improved my self confidence tenfold. I now know that I posses strength in reservoirs I had not explored. We've all heard that humans only use 10% of their brain capacity, but I think that includes using only 10% of our will power, resilience, and inner strength. Choose to exercise those muscles of your emotional skeleton and you'll discover a new kind of backbone, a potent power, and a lasting courage to create the life that you want, and enjoy every moment of it.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Has't there art a problem? Ask and ye shall receive
So, I've been having an issue with my knee for almost a year now, and most of the money I've spent trying to figure out what is wrong has gone to ruling out options...which while is necessary, is very frustrating because I still don't know what's going on.
Well, I was hoping to find out some information without having to pay more money. So, on a whim, I decided to ask the front desk at my gym: "was anybody I could talk to about my knee injury?" Just by spending 5 minutes asking someone for a little help, I was scheduled the next day for an appointment with an experienced personal trainer who would be able to help me, for free! It just goes to show that if you need a little help and ask for it, more often than not, you'll get what you need in perhaps an unlikely area.
Well, I was hoping to find out some information without having to pay more money. So, on a whim, I decided to ask the front desk at my gym: "was anybody I could talk to about my knee injury?" Just by spending 5 minutes asking someone for a little help, I was scheduled the next day for an appointment with an experienced personal trainer who would be able to help me, for free! It just goes to show that if you need a little help and ask for it, more often than not, you'll get what you need in perhaps an unlikely area.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
It's Thanksgiving Every Day! (without the turkey)
Have you ever been stuck, on Thanksgiving night, sitting around a table of family without a single thing to be thankful for? Probably not, because there's always something - family, friends, creamy mashed potatoes...but why should Thanksgiving be the only time of year when we give thanks for anything and everything we can think of?
The art of being thankful is something that I think the majority of us look over, but just a moment or two per day to reflect on the good aspects of your life can help put everything else in perspective. In these times, the worst recession since The Great Depression, I think a lot of us twenty-somethings are caught off guard - we've never had to deal with dwindling jobs, new found homelessness among perfectly capable adults, and massive layoffs among those in our own circles. But! What is the point of spending our days biting our nails and worrying about an economy that will mostly be determined by the actions of our new president and the state of the rest of the world? What we can do is save our pennies for the future, come up with a backup plan to our backup plan, and remain optimistic and thankful.
Here are my examples: I currently cannot run, an activity which I miss every day and is affecting my weight and cardio fitness - however I am thankful that I have my overall health and that I can still work, walk, and workout in other ways.
I recently lost my uncle to alcoholism, however I am thankful that his death does not go without teaching me an important lesson and probably will give me a sense of pride and a healthier life in the long term.
My job is sporadic, sometimes providing me with very little income. But I enjoy my job, I am thankful that I have found one that seems to fit with my personality and I finally have superiors who appreciate me, my skills and my hard work.
Lastly, I am so thankful to have my supportive family and wonderful friends. I am thankful that I have my mother living with me and she has also finally found a profession she enjoys. I thank my lucky stars for my cat - a source of infinite laughs and companionship. I'm thankful for music. I'm thankful for dance. I'm thankful to live in America. And I thank you for reading!
The art of being thankful is something that I think the majority of us look over, but just a moment or two per day to reflect on the good aspects of your life can help put everything else in perspective. In these times, the worst recession since The Great Depression, I think a lot of us twenty-somethings are caught off guard - we've never had to deal with dwindling jobs, new found homelessness among perfectly capable adults, and massive layoffs among those in our own circles. But! What is the point of spending our days biting our nails and worrying about an economy that will mostly be determined by the actions of our new president and the state of the rest of the world? What we can do is save our pennies for the future, come up with a backup plan to our backup plan, and remain optimistic and thankful.
Here are my examples: I currently cannot run, an activity which I miss every day and is affecting my weight and cardio fitness - however I am thankful that I have my overall health and that I can still work, walk, and workout in other ways.
I recently lost my uncle to alcoholism, however I am thankful that his death does not go without teaching me an important lesson and probably will give me a sense of pride and a healthier life in the long term.
My job is sporadic, sometimes providing me with very little income. But I enjoy my job, I am thankful that I have found one that seems to fit with my personality and I finally have superiors who appreciate me, my skills and my hard work.
Lastly, I am so thankful to have my supportive family and wonderful friends. I am thankful that I have my mother living with me and she has also finally found a profession she enjoys. I thank my lucky stars for my cat - a source of infinite laughs and companionship. I'm thankful for music. I'm thankful for dance. I'm thankful to live in America. And I thank you for reading!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Open Eyes; Put Food In Mouth
One mistake many people, including myself, make when trying to establish healthy habits is to wait until hungry to eat in the morning. After indulging last night in a bit too much ice cream and popcorn in celebration of The Oscars, I woke this morning with a full tummy and no desire to put food in my mouth.
However, many studies show that eating first thing in the morning will have a positive effect on metabolism throughout the day, and if anything else we want our metabolism working as hard as possible! So, even if eating is the last thing you want to do and it seems counterproductive to eat more food after a night of too much, make the effort to have a small, healthy breakfast. This will jump start your metabolism, burning more calories throughout the day. Simply use the full feeling in your tummy to make smarter decisions throughout the day instead of skipping breakfast altogether, and your metabolism will work harder for you throughout the day, making a bigger dent in those extra calories from last night.
However, many studies show that eating first thing in the morning will have a positive effect on metabolism throughout the day, and if anything else we want our metabolism working as hard as possible! So, even if eating is the last thing you want to do and it seems counterproductive to eat more food after a night of too much, make the effort to have a small, healthy breakfast. This will jump start your metabolism, burning more calories throughout the day. Simply use the full feeling in your tummy to make smarter decisions throughout the day instead of skipping breakfast altogether, and your metabolism will work harder for you throughout the day, making a bigger dent in those extra calories from last night.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Full Body Time Saver
Here is a good full body exercise that a trainer once showed me that I still use because it is so effective.
Lie with a stability ball supporting your upper back and neck, creating a straight line from your head to your knees. Keep your knees at a 90 degree angle, and squeeze your glutes and abs to keep your body stable. The only movement should come from the arm, so if your chest or glutes are moving around, choose a lighter weight.
Take a 5-10 pound weight in right hand and hold directly above shoulder. Left hand should rest on your left hip and help to keep body straight, in line and immobile. With a straight arm, bring weight slightly to the left so that it is above your left shoulder. Then slowly lower straight arm to the right so that arm is parallel with the floor. This is one rep. Repeat 8-12 times, making sure arm stays straight but elbow not locked and hips remain motionless and raised. Switch arms and repeat.
This move is full body because it works so many different muscle groups at once. Keeping your hips raised and tightened for the full 16-24 reps will tighten the glutes, legs, and abs. While the weight is extended to parallel your chest muscles are engaged, when the weight is over the chest your shoulder muscles are engaged, and the lifting motion works the biceps and chest as well. The only caution is to pick a weight that doesn't put too much stress on the chest muscles, so start with a lighter weight and work your way up to heavier.
Lie with a stability ball supporting your upper back and neck, creating a straight line from your head to your knees. Keep your knees at a 90 degree angle, and squeeze your glutes and abs to keep your body stable. The only movement should come from the arm, so if your chest or glutes are moving around, choose a lighter weight.
Take a 5-10 pound weight in right hand and hold directly above shoulder. Left hand should rest on your left hip and help to keep body straight, in line and immobile. With a straight arm, bring weight slightly to the left so that it is above your left shoulder. Then slowly lower straight arm to the right so that arm is parallel with the floor. This is one rep. Repeat 8-12 times, making sure arm stays straight but elbow not locked and hips remain motionless and raised. Switch arms and repeat.
This move is full body because it works so many different muscle groups at once. Keeping your hips raised and tightened for the full 16-24 reps will tighten the glutes, legs, and abs. While the weight is extended to parallel your chest muscles are engaged, when the weight is over the chest your shoulder muscles are engaged, and the lifting motion works the biceps and chest as well. The only caution is to pick a weight that doesn't put too much stress on the chest muscles, so start with a lighter weight and work your way up to heavier.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Intention of Living an Organized Life (and the power of purple)
A few years ago my mother sent me a gift in the mail, a book entitled "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life." It was an easy how-to guide on feng shui, an easy read with pictures and real life applications.
As a believer in the power of energy, I decided to give it a try and reorganized my tiny apartment to properly flow the energy through the most important areas of my living space: prosperity, wisdom and love & relationships. I put all the purple I could find in my prosperity section (the bathroom), created a little library in my kitchen (wisdom) and bought a red sheet for my bed (love & relationships).
Now, I couldn't argue with you if you said all this was coincidence...but - I began to experience wealth that I had not realized before, getting the best tables at work out of pure luck, getting offers for payment on activities that I loved (such as creating CD mixes to play at my work). I also had clarity of thought in situations that previously would have plagued me for months, I was able to step back and get myself out of those situations. And, for better or worse, the relationship I was currently in developed into far more than I ever would have predicted.
The best lesson I learned from this episode is the power of intention. I currently do have all of the purple I own in the prosperity section of my apartment, but what I concentrate on in general is keeping my apartment picked up and orderly. "Move Your Stuff..." comments many times on how closely the organization of the living space relates to the organization of life. If the space you live in is cluttered, messy and dirty, it can be an excellent mirror to how you feel about your life as well. So, with intention, I pick up the little clutter around my house, make my bed every morning, fold the blankets on my couch, keep the dishes in the sink minimal, and keep the litter box as empty as possible. I do this with the intention of helping my life stay just as picked up and neat as my apartment, without distractions or dust or disappointment. If nothing else, at least I feel comfortable within my living space and have adapted habits that make it easy to come home and relax.
However, when I'm feeling the purse strings particularly tight I do still rearrange, tidy up and clean off the purple items in my prosperity section and to be honest, I usually do receive some sort of flux in cash soon afterwards. Call it coincidence, but I'll still take it!
As a believer in the power of energy, I decided to give it a try and reorganized my tiny apartment to properly flow the energy through the most important areas of my living space: prosperity, wisdom and love & relationships. I put all the purple I could find in my prosperity section (the bathroom), created a little library in my kitchen (wisdom) and bought a red sheet for my bed (love & relationships).
Now, I couldn't argue with you if you said all this was coincidence...but - I began to experience wealth that I had not realized before, getting the best tables at work out of pure luck, getting offers for payment on activities that I loved (such as creating CD mixes to play at my work). I also had clarity of thought in situations that previously would have plagued me for months, I was able to step back and get myself out of those situations. And, for better or worse, the relationship I was currently in developed into far more than I ever would have predicted.
The best lesson I learned from this episode is the power of intention. I currently do have all of the purple I own in the prosperity section of my apartment, but what I concentrate on in general is keeping my apartment picked up and orderly. "Move Your Stuff..." comments many times on how closely the organization of the living space relates to the organization of life. If the space you live in is cluttered, messy and dirty, it can be an excellent mirror to how you feel about your life as well. So, with intention, I pick up the little clutter around my house, make my bed every morning, fold the blankets on my couch, keep the dishes in the sink minimal, and keep the litter box as empty as possible. I do this with the intention of helping my life stay just as picked up and neat as my apartment, without distractions or dust or disappointment. If nothing else, at least I feel comfortable within my living space and have adapted habits that make it easy to come home and relax.
However, when I'm feeling the purse strings particularly tight I do still rearrange, tidy up and clean off the purple items in my prosperity section and to be honest, I usually do receive some sort of flux in cash soon afterwards. Call it coincidence, but I'll still take it!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Grief, A Lesson and One Less
In the past week I have encountered my first true experience with grief. My Uncle Mark, after a long and hard struggle with alcohol, passed away on February 10th. This one event has changed the dynamics of our family forever. Instead of 5 brothers there will only be 4. Someone will always be missing at my birthday party, and Christmas will never feel truly complete. The past week has been a flurry of happiness in hugging family I haven't seen in years, gut wrenching sorrow at the thought of these everlasting changes, refusal to accept this event has occurred, anger at a disease that made Mark's entire life a struggle, and fear that more of those close to me will succumb to drugs and alcohol and won't come back. Now, after the funeral is over and my extended family has gone back to their lives, I struggle with what comes next.
For our family, alcohol is synonymous with 'get together,' and it seems no matter how many of us go into rehab, attend AA meetings, or preach to the others about the dangers of alcohol, wine and beer remain a non negotiable invitee to every event. My father, after a lifetime of loyalty to his best friend the beer bottle, permanently gave up his habit three years, one month and 10 days before his brother gave in to the substance that killed him. I look at the differences between my Uncle Mark and my father and while there are some distinct personality differences, there are many similarities between the two men which make figuring out why one could kick the presence of alcohol out of their lives and one could not, very difficult and heart wrenching.
Not that Mark didn't try. There was rehab, there were many trips to the hospital, there were speeches and therapy and ice teas at Easter instead of the traditional glass (or 5) of wine. There were desperate emails and phone calls and visits from his brothers, his mother and his nieces, begging him to get help, get better. But in the end, after spending one last month in an attempt to rid his body of the need for alcohol, Mark came home and one week later died with too much alcohol in his system.
While Mark's death is tragic, it does not come without a valuable and useful lesson. Alcohol is an acceptable part of our society, but that does not in any way make it safe. Regular drinking in high school and college turns into regular happy hours after work and Christmas parties with drunken colleagues, turns into children who become accustomed to Mom driving home on Christmas because Dad's too drunk, turns into a dependence on alcohol to function in everyday life. And in Mark's case that drinking in his younger years, as so many of us do as a rite of passage in high school and college, turned into the cause of many of his problems in life and the reason for his death. He hadn't even seen his 50th birthday.
So I will use this as a lesson to me, and my attitude towards alcohol. I will listen to my father who, in a rare moment of tears and a prolonged hug with his children struggled to get the words out of his throat: Just don't drink. Alcohol is no longer a necessary part of any get together. It is not safe. It deserves the label of 'drug,' and I have always said that I don't do drugs. I know that I have to accept the fact that I cannot change all of society, but I can change myself and my own views. I will accept the fact that I rarely have 'just one drink,' because one drink clouds my judgement enough that I think it ok to have another one. I will look at the amount of people in my family who suffer from alcoholism and I will be honest with myself that I probably am closer to the disease than I think. And I will think of my Uncle Mark when I want to be part of the crowd and have a drink. I will think of the sorrow in my father's face, regretting that he could not save his brother as he had saved himself. And I will teach my children as best I can, that alcohol is not a rite of passage, it is not a necessary part of life, and it should be treated as the dangerous drug it is.
My Uncle Mark was a good person, a loving uncle to me, and I will miss him for the rest of my life. I only hope that he is finally at peace, resting now without the awful grip of alcohol strangling his mind and taking over his life. And I hope that I can make a difference, and that perhaps this article has made even one person consider how close they are to alcoholism. Because as much as we all hope that alcohol could never become a non negotiable part of our lives, the disease of alcoholism is a sneaky attacker, one that many don't realize until too late. We don't know why some people are alcoholics and some people are not, and why some alcoholics can kick the habit and why others succumb. So personally, I would rather not take the risk and truly enjoy the rest of my life, happy, healthy and sober.
For our family, alcohol is synonymous with 'get together,' and it seems no matter how many of us go into rehab, attend AA meetings, or preach to the others about the dangers of alcohol, wine and beer remain a non negotiable invitee to every event. My father, after a lifetime of loyalty to his best friend the beer bottle, permanently gave up his habit three years, one month and 10 days before his brother gave in to the substance that killed him. I look at the differences between my Uncle Mark and my father and while there are some distinct personality differences, there are many similarities between the two men which make figuring out why one could kick the presence of alcohol out of their lives and one could not, very difficult and heart wrenching.
Not that Mark didn't try. There was rehab, there were many trips to the hospital, there were speeches and therapy and ice teas at Easter instead of the traditional glass (or 5) of wine. There were desperate emails and phone calls and visits from his brothers, his mother and his nieces, begging him to get help, get better. But in the end, after spending one last month in an attempt to rid his body of the need for alcohol, Mark came home and one week later died with too much alcohol in his system.
While Mark's death is tragic, it does not come without a valuable and useful lesson. Alcohol is an acceptable part of our society, but that does not in any way make it safe. Regular drinking in high school and college turns into regular happy hours after work and Christmas parties with drunken colleagues, turns into children who become accustomed to Mom driving home on Christmas because Dad's too drunk, turns into a dependence on alcohol to function in everyday life. And in Mark's case that drinking in his younger years, as so many of us do as a rite of passage in high school and college, turned into the cause of many of his problems in life and the reason for his death. He hadn't even seen his 50th birthday.
So I will use this as a lesson to me, and my attitude towards alcohol. I will listen to my father who, in a rare moment of tears and a prolonged hug with his children struggled to get the words out of his throat: Just don't drink. Alcohol is no longer a necessary part of any get together. It is not safe. It deserves the label of 'drug,' and I have always said that I don't do drugs. I know that I have to accept the fact that I cannot change all of society, but I can change myself and my own views. I will accept the fact that I rarely have 'just one drink,' because one drink clouds my judgement enough that I think it ok to have another one. I will look at the amount of people in my family who suffer from alcoholism and I will be honest with myself that I probably am closer to the disease than I think. And I will think of my Uncle Mark when I want to be part of the crowd and have a drink. I will think of the sorrow in my father's face, regretting that he could not save his brother as he had saved himself. And I will teach my children as best I can, that alcohol is not a rite of passage, it is not a necessary part of life, and it should be treated as the dangerous drug it is.
My Uncle Mark was a good person, a loving uncle to me, and I will miss him for the rest of my life. I only hope that he is finally at peace, resting now without the awful grip of alcohol strangling his mind and taking over his life. And I hope that I can make a difference, and that perhaps this article has made even one person consider how close they are to alcoholism. Because as much as we all hope that alcohol could never become a non negotiable part of our lives, the disease of alcoholism is a sneaky attacker, one that many don't realize until too late. We don't know why some people are alcoholics and some people are not, and why some alcoholics can kick the habit and why others succumb. So personally, I would rather not take the risk and truly enjoy the rest of my life, happy, healthy and sober.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
More Band For Your Bicep: Multi tasking at the gym
Everybody is busy. Therein lies much of the problem with getting to the gym for most of us. Finding 20 minutes to an hour a day, not to mention getting changed, showering, and the commute all give us excuses not to trek to the gym and spend some time sweating. That's why squeezing more into your workout is always helpful.
One way to burn extra calories and get more bang for your bicep is to combine cardio with your strength training. You can accomplish this with circuit training: jumping on a cardio machine after every few bouts with the dumbbells. Or you can up your heart rate, machine free with some of these free form cardio moves.
The mountain climber: Stand in a slight lunge position, one foot in front of the other by a few feet with front leg bent. Lean forward and place hands flat on the floor, a few inches in front of your lead foot. Your feet will be up on the toes. Keep weight mostly on your hands, placed directly underneath shoulders, and switch feet in one fluid motion. Continue switching feet as quickly as possible for 30 seconds to one minute.
Variation: equally as effective in getting your heart rate up but without putting stress on wrists or upper body, simply keep hands on hips and switch feet swiftly underneath you, keeping knees soft.
Squat and touch: Stand in a straddle squat, feet underneath knees and toes slightly turned out. Squat slightly, making sure knees do not go past toes, then spring upward and touch heels together in the air before landing softly in the wide squat once again. Complete 10 times.
Ball Toss: Hold a light to medium medicine ball in both hands. Squat and touch ball to the ground, making sure to keep knees over toes and feet flat on the floor, weight in the heels. Straighten legs as you bend your elbows and lift ball above head to gently toss upwards with both hands. Catch the ball above your head, keep it close to your body as you lower, and repeat. Concentrate on keeping the ball directly above your body while in the air and not tossing too far in front or in back of you. Complete 10 times.
Sideways shuffle: Keeping body square to the front of the room, quickly shuffle to one side for about 10 paces. Pause and briskly hop on toes 5 times. Shuffle back to starting point and repeat hops. Continue for 30 seconds to one minute.
Adding just one, two or all of these cardio/strengthening moves into your normal routine will get your heart rate up and keep it up, meaning you are getting a cardio workout at the same time as your weight training. This will burn more calories and save you time, which ought to make finding the time to get to the gym just a little bit easier.
One way to burn extra calories and get more bang for your bicep is to combine cardio with your strength training. You can accomplish this with circuit training: jumping on a cardio machine after every few bouts with the dumbbells. Or you can up your heart rate, machine free with some of these free form cardio moves.
The mountain climber: Stand in a slight lunge position, one foot in front of the other by a few feet with front leg bent. Lean forward and place hands flat on the floor, a few inches in front of your lead foot. Your feet will be up on the toes. Keep weight mostly on your hands, placed directly underneath shoulders, and switch feet in one fluid motion. Continue switching feet as quickly as possible for 30 seconds to one minute.
Variation: equally as effective in getting your heart rate up but without putting stress on wrists or upper body, simply keep hands on hips and switch feet swiftly underneath you, keeping knees soft.
Squat and touch: Stand in a straddle squat, feet underneath knees and toes slightly turned out. Squat slightly, making sure knees do not go past toes, then spring upward and touch heels together in the air before landing softly in the wide squat once again. Complete 10 times.
Ball Toss: Hold a light to medium medicine ball in both hands. Squat and touch ball to the ground, making sure to keep knees over toes and feet flat on the floor, weight in the heels. Straighten legs as you bend your elbows and lift ball above head to gently toss upwards with both hands. Catch the ball above your head, keep it close to your body as you lower, and repeat. Concentrate on keeping the ball directly above your body while in the air and not tossing too far in front or in back of you. Complete 10 times.
Sideways shuffle: Keeping body square to the front of the room, quickly shuffle to one side for about 10 paces. Pause and briskly hop on toes 5 times. Shuffle back to starting point and repeat hops. Continue for 30 seconds to one minute.
Adding just one, two or all of these cardio/strengthening moves into your normal routine will get your heart rate up and keep it up, meaning you are getting a cardio workout at the same time as your weight training. This will burn more calories and save you time, which ought to make finding the time to get to the gym just a little bit easier.
Monday, February 9, 2009
From Cave Walls to Crosswords: Reading is the key
I've always found it fascinating that we have evidence of cave people drawing out stories on their cave walls. That cave people needed entertainment too, and they created their own by documenting a story of a dangerous kill, or drawings of themselves. This fascinates me because we basically do the same thing today. Our stories are more elaborately conceived, and we can blanket the world with news in a matter of minutes, but the concept remains the same: we need information, we want to documentation of our lives, and we need entertainment.
Reading is one of the first joys of my life and it has been an enriching addition since I was very young. However reading has taken a backseat for many years to TV, the Internet, and gabbing with friends or worrying about work. I think for many people in America, we take reading for granted. Every year we have more and more information at our fingertips, more books have been written, more websites built. The amount of reading material we have is endless, and would be of great envy to those cave people.
Besides our privilege of having loads of material available for our eyes, there is a health benefit to reading with abandon. As we age, the threat of Alzheimer's seizing our brains become more real. A study performed by David Snowdon shows that the wider a person's vocabulary, and complexity of thought while in their twenties, the less at risk they were for developing the devastating disease later in life (Suite101.com, Melissa Howard). The brain is a muscle just like the triceps, abs and hamstrings, and reading is like exercise for the brain. When we're 65 and our minds are retiring, we want them as sharp as we can preserve them. My father does crossword puzzles every day to give his mind a little workout. My grandmother is rarely seen without a book by her side. Both of these role models of mine have some of the most admirable brains I've ever encountered, and I want to strive to create that type of mind for myself as I age.
So try creating a reading ritual for yourself, whether its sitting down with the paper in the morning instead of watching the news, or reading from a good book for a half an hour during your lunch break, or even simply completing a Sudoku puzzle every day, exercise your brain, and your right to knowledge. Another bonus my father has demonstrated (besides having a sharp, informed mind late into life): knowing enough trivia to put Alex Trebec to shame!
Reading is one of the first joys of my life and it has been an enriching addition since I was very young. However reading has taken a backseat for many years to TV, the Internet, and gabbing with friends or worrying about work. I think for many people in America, we take reading for granted. Every year we have more and more information at our fingertips, more books have been written, more websites built. The amount of reading material we have is endless, and would be of great envy to those cave people.
Besides our privilege of having loads of material available for our eyes, there is a health benefit to reading with abandon. As we age, the threat of Alzheimer's seizing our brains become more real. A study performed by David Snowdon shows that the wider a person's vocabulary, and complexity of thought while in their twenties, the less at risk they were for developing the devastating disease later in life (Suite101.com, Melissa Howard). The brain is a muscle just like the triceps, abs and hamstrings, and reading is like exercise for the brain. When we're 65 and our minds are retiring, we want them as sharp as we can preserve them. My father does crossword puzzles every day to give his mind a little workout. My grandmother is rarely seen without a book by her side. Both of these role models of mine have some of the most admirable brains I've ever encountered, and I want to strive to create that type of mind for myself as I age.
So try creating a reading ritual for yourself, whether its sitting down with the paper in the morning instead of watching the news, or reading from a good book for a half an hour during your lunch break, or even simply completing a Sudoku puzzle every day, exercise your brain, and your right to knowledge. Another bonus my father has demonstrated (besides having a sharp, informed mind late into life): knowing enough trivia to put Alex Trebec to shame!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Tired? Hungry? Probably not...
We all know the feeling: eyes too heavy to hold open, fog inhabiting the brain making the thoughts you need to think hard to find, the only possible solution seemingly being some time with our head on the desk or curled up on the couch.
One leading cause of this midafternoon slump can often be thirst, and one that may be overlooked by many people. After digesting our lunch we become very tired, and figure we need a little sugar or caffine to jumpstart our bodies back into productivity. However, having a cup of coffee or visiting the vending machine can only dehydrate your body more, and after the initial kick you'll probably feel the crash return. Plus, thirst is often mistaken as hunger, so we often miss the signs that we need more water and not another snack.
Water is a vital tool to keep your body functioning at its highest and best potential. So next time you experience a crash in the the day, try guzzling a whole glass of water, and keep more water easily at hand to rehydrate. This often times can get the mind back on track, energizing and refocusing the body. So instead of reaching for a package of M&Ms or a coca-cola, simply rehydrate using Mother Earth's perfect gift of water and in a half an hour see if you feel more like your old self. Your boss will thank you!
One leading cause of this midafternoon slump can often be thirst, and one that may be overlooked by many people. After digesting our lunch we become very tired, and figure we need a little sugar or caffine to jumpstart our bodies back into productivity. However, having a cup of coffee or visiting the vending machine can only dehydrate your body more, and after the initial kick you'll probably feel the crash return. Plus, thirst is often mistaken as hunger, so we often miss the signs that we need more water and not another snack.
Water is a vital tool to keep your body functioning at its highest and best potential. So next time you experience a crash in the the day, try guzzling a whole glass of water, and keep more water easily at hand to rehydrate. This often times can get the mind back on track, energizing and refocusing the body. So instead of reaching for a package of M&Ms or a coca-cola, simply rehydrate using Mother Earth's perfect gift of water and in a half an hour see if you feel more like your old self. Your boss will thank you!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Now Punch it Out
We all want to save time by doing more within it, and unfortnately squeezing the gym between all of the other important tasks we must complete in each day gets more and more difficult. So that is why I am a fan of moves that will work out more than one muscle group at a time, and will even get your heart rate up so that extra calories get burned up in the process.
Here is a move that is simple and easy, but very effective and can be done at home as well as the gym.
Take a pair of low weights, start with 3s or 5s to begin, and hold them in front of your stomach. Slightly bend your knees, making sure weight is evenly distributed and all joints are stacked. Then, as quickly as you can, punch in front of you with your weights, keeping your hips still making sure not to lock your knees. As you bring your arm forward, turn the weight parallel to the floor at the farthest point from you to work some of the smaller muscles in your arm. Punch at least 50 times, or time yourself for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat at least twice.
This move will work your stomach, because you're twisting and keeping your abs pulled in tight to prevent movement in the hips, your arms and shoulders as you punch forward, your back as you pull back, and get your heart rate up for that extra calorie burn. The main thing to concentrate on is keeping all of your muscles pulled in tight; abs engaged to protect your back, arms pulled in next to your body and each movement should be fast, but controlled. Try and it and feel your whole upper body get a workout in less than a minute!
Here is a move that is simple and easy, but very effective and can be done at home as well as the gym.
Take a pair of low weights, start with 3s or 5s to begin, and hold them in front of your stomach. Slightly bend your knees, making sure weight is evenly distributed and all joints are stacked. Then, as quickly as you can, punch in front of you with your weights, keeping your hips still making sure not to lock your knees. As you bring your arm forward, turn the weight parallel to the floor at the farthest point from you to work some of the smaller muscles in your arm. Punch at least 50 times, or time yourself for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat at least twice.
This move will work your stomach, because you're twisting and keeping your abs pulled in tight to prevent movement in the hips, your arms and shoulders as you punch forward, your back as you pull back, and get your heart rate up for that extra calorie burn. The main thing to concentrate on is keeping all of your muscles pulled in tight; abs engaged to protect your back, arms pulled in next to your body and each movement should be fast, but controlled. Try and it and feel your whole upper body get a workout in less than a minute!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Battle of the Bulge - for your wallet AND your waistline
One of the aspects of our lives that most of us struggle with as much as our health, is our bank account. We want the opposite things for our wallets as we do for our tummies, we want them bulging, spilling over, stuffed to the brim, and only growing larger. We want higher numbers in our ING and lower numbers on the scale. But we want the same thing in the end from both: results.
Unfortunately, obviously, its more difficult to achieve larger numbers in savings with this miserable economy. This is why I, like many, have been soaking up as many tips as I can find for saving more, spending less - just as I try and eat less and exercise more. Sometimes it helps me to thing of these concepts in similar terms so...
-I figure I have a certain number of calories in a day, so when I am deciding on whether or not I can 'afford' to eat something, I make sure I check to see how many calories I have left in the bank. If I'm going for broke with a milkshake I skip it, or have only a few sips. If I'm making a small withdrawal that fits into my daily budget, I go for it.
-I also make a list of all the things I eat in a day, much like we're told to make a list of what we spend in a week, down to the last $4 latte or $1.50 pack of gum. This way, we can take a look back over our lists and see where small changes can be made. I could have stayed within my calories today if I hadn't mindlessly munched on those M&Ms in the break room, that's easy enough to cut out tomorrow. Or wow, I spent $20 on coffee this week, I'd better only buy coffee out once a week.
-The major finance experts say to pay yourself first; as soon as you receive a paycheck or pocket some money, immediately put some in savings and forget about it. This is the surest way to ensure that you will save and the money that's left over after your bills and rent are paid is what you have to play with. If it's not much, well at least you've got some money in the bank for tomorrow when your car breaks down, or the washer ruins all of your nice work clothes.
I think of exercise with the same concept. Exercise to me is like putting calories in the bank, to be used in an emergency. This ensures me that if I do happen to go over on my eating one day, I have some freebies stocked up since I've already burned them off with exercise. Then, if I stick to my allotted calorie amount every day, my 'extra' calories will build up and give me 'interest,' in that I'll be losing more weight. I'm investing in myself with exercise, just as I invest in myself with a 401K. When I'm having a difficult time convincing myself to get to the gym, thinking in these terms helps me because even if I go for just ten minutes, it's still that many extra calories I've earned for myself.
With a lifetime of thinking, analyzing, wishing and praying about weight loss, it can help to think of it in new terms, with a different type of outcome. If saving money doesn't obsess your mind as it does mine, perhaps there's another parallel you can draw from calories consumed vs. calories spent - whatever it takes to make those investments in yourself that will yield high interest benefits and improve the security of your future.
Unfortunately, obviously, its more difficult to achieve larger numbers in savings with this miserable economy. This is why I, like many, have been soaking up as many tips as I can find for saving more, spending less - just as I try and eat less and exercise more. Sometimes it helps me to thing of these concepts in similar terms so...
-I figure I have a certain number of calories in a day, so when I am deciding on whether or not I can 'afford' to eat something, I make sure I check to see how many calories I have left in the bank. If I'm going for broke with a milkshake I skip it, or have only a few sips. If I'm making a small withdrawal that fits into my daily budget, I go for it.
-I also make a list of all the things I eat in a day, much like we're told to make a list of what we spend in a week, down to the last $4 latte or $1.50 pack of gum. This way, we can take a look back over our lists and see where small changes can be made. I could have stayed within my calories today if I hadn't mindlessly munched on those M&Ms in the break room, that's easy enough to cut out tomorrow. Or wow, I spent $20 on coffee this week, I'd better only buy coffee out once a week.
-The major finance experts say to pay yourself first; as soon as you receive a paycheck or pocket some money, immediately put some in savings and forget about it. This is the surest way to ensure that you will save and the money that's left over after your bills and rent are paid is what you have to play with. If it's not much, well at least you've got some money in the bank for tomorrow when your car breaks down, or the washer ruins all of your nice work clothes.
I think of exercise with the same concept. Exercise to me is like putting calories in the bank, to be used in an emergency. This ensures me that if I do happen to go over on my eating one day, I have some freebies stocked up since I've already burned them off with exercise. Then, if I stick to my allotted calorie amount every day, my 'extra' calories will build up and give me 'interest,' in that I'll be losing more weight. I'm investing in myself with exercise, just as I invest in myself with a 401K. When I'm having a difficult time convincing myself to get to the gym, thinking in these terms helps me because even if I go for just ten minutes, it's still that many extra calories I've earned for myself.
With a lifetime of thinking, analyzing, wishing and praying about weight loss, it can help to think of it in new terms, with a different type of outcome. If saving money doesn't obsess your mind as it does mine, perhaps there's another parallel you can draw from calories consumed vs. calories spent - whatever it takes to make those investments in yourself that will yield high interest benefits and improve the security of your future.
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